Malvern Prep quarterback Drew Gunther is Main Line Boys Athlete of the Week

The 6-foot-3 senior quarterback played a large role in the Friars’ 11-0 season, a mark so rare that only two Inter-Ac football teams have ever posted this record – the other was the 1903 Germantown Academy squad. The Virginia Tech-bound Gunther completed 128 of 227 passes this fall for 2,136 yards and 24 touchdowns. He threw for a school-record 386 yards in a 42-32 win against Berks Catholic, a mark that is the seventh-best all-time in the Inter-Ac for passing yards in a game. Malvern Prep head coach Dave Gueriera said, ““Drew is a very smart football player. He has a knack for delivering the ball on time and accurately to the right receiver. He’s a fantastic player and a better kid.”

Q: What is your sharpest memory of your final Malvern game, the 41-20 win against Springside Chestnut Hill?

A: My best memory was the second touchdown pass to Keith [Maguire] in the corner of the end zone. I made eye contact with Keith and we both gave the signal for a fade and I put it out there and he made a great play. This was something Keith and I have been doing for a very long time and it was only right to connect with him one last time.

Q: Is there one play from the Berks Catholic game that stands out in your memory – if so, can you tell us how the play developed, and your role in it?

A: My favorite play from the Berks Catholic game was the long [58-yard] touchdown pass to Ryan Maguire. I think it really showed our preparation for the game. That play we installed that week to exploit how they played Jet sweep motion and Berks played it exactly how we thought they would and we scored a long TD.

Q: Who is your favorite quarterback? Is there a quarterback whose play you try to emulate?

A: My favorite QB of all time is Tom Brady. I try to learn things from any quarterback I watch but I do not model my game after anybody else. I just play my style of football and do what I do best.

Q: Tell us about your start in football – were you always a quarterback? What got you interested in the QB position?

A: When I started playing football I was a QB at a young age but I would move around to wherever the team needed me. I played anywhere, from fullback to defensive tackle. My seventh grade year is when I became a full time quarterback, playing Pop Warner for the Marsh Creek Eagles.

Q: What do you think is the strongest aspect of your game? What part of your game are you working on the most currently?

A: I think the best part of my game is my Football IQ and my anticipation. I watch a lot of film and when I get on the field everything slows down and I know what everyone else is doing. I am constantly working on improving every part of my game.

Q: Tell us a little about your pre-game preparation the day of a game.

A: My prep before a game is pretty simple – I wake up two hours before I have to leave, I eat some eggs and a bagel and two bottles of water. Then we always go and have Mass as a team. After that, I snack on some food and stretch myself out, listen to my music, and pray, before we head out to the field.

Q: Who have been your biggest mentors as a quarterback, and what was the most important thing you learned from each one?

A: My biggest mentors are my older brothers, Blake and Chase. They have both helped mold me into the young man I am today. They have kept me driven and grounded.

Q: You wear uniform jersey No. 11 – is there a reason you picked that number?

A: I started wearing No. 11 my sophomore year and that’s when I made a name for myself, so I stuck with it.

Q: What do you think you would like to major in at Virginia Tech?

A: I will most likely major in something business-related.

Fun facts – Drew Gunther

Favorite book: Relentless, by Tim Grover.

Favorite TV show: Rick and Morty.

Favorite movie: Dazed and Confused.

Favorite pre-game pump-up song: Cinderella Man.

Favorite team: Philadelphia Eagles.

Person I most admire: “Tom Brady because of his passion and commitment to the game.”

Siblings: older brothers Blake and Chase, older sister Brooke.

(To be selected as Main Line Boys Athlete of the Week, a student-athlete must first be nominated by his coach.)